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Lack of appetite - complete loss of desire to eat. No appetite: reasons for an adult. When to see a doctor

Causes of loss of appetite there may be physiological conditions associated with age or changes in habits, changes in season or the conditions of a person’s stay, but it can also be a manifestation of pathological conditions, in which case loss of appetite may be a symptom of a “banal” flu or an indicator of something more serious.

Finally, one of the main reasons for lack of appetite- psychological disorders such as stress or anxiety.

What causes lack of appetite

Loss of appetite is an eating disorder that is characterized by a sharp decrease in hunger, and is often accompanied by a feeling of food aversions.

This condition can appear suddenly when associated with pathological or emotional factors, but can sometimes be chronic and lead to more serious eating disorders.

Loss of appetite affects all categories of people: youth, children, the elderly and adults, and can occur at any time in life.

Chronic loss of appetite - risks and consequences

Lack of appetite for a limited period should not cause any particular problems. But if appetite does not return and the lack of appetite becomes chronic, very serious health risks can arise.

Among the consequences of prolonged lack of appetite we have:

Nutritional deficiencies: Eating little or not eating for a long period leads to deficiency micronutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, and macronutrients, such as proteins, carbohydrates and lipids. This leads to a state of discomfort, fatigue and the appearance of diseases such as iron deficiency anemia.
Dehydration: Lack of appetite is usually accompanied by a decrease in water intake, which leads to dehydration. This is one of the main risks of lack of appetite in children and the elderly.
Excessive weight loss: Long-term lack of appetite can lead to the consumption of fatty tissue in the body, which leads to excessive thinness. Losing weight can lead to serious complications because it weakens the entire body, including the immune system.
Formation of ketone bodies: if sugars are not supplied from food for more than 24-48 hours, then ketone bodies are formed in the body, substances that the body needs to obtain energy from fatty acids, but at the same time they are toxic to the body. This phenomenon often occurs in children with high fever.
The emergence of eating disorders: If refusal to eat becomes chronic, the lack of appetite can develop into anorexia - a very severe eating disorder that can lead to death.

Causes of loss of appetite

Loss of appetite can have several causes, depending on the age and the specific person, but the following reasons can be distinguished:

Physiological reasons: associated with specific periods, such as the change of season, the teething period of babies, or a period of particular physical fatigue.
Psychosomatic reasons: Associated with periods of extreme stress, extreme anxiety, or mental fatigue.
Pathological causes: May be a transient condition such as a cold or flu, a chronic gastrointestinal disorder, or a metabolic problem. Particular attention should be paid to lack of appetite in both children and adults when it is accompanied by photosensitivity, since this condition can be the onset of meningitis (a fatal disease if not treated promptly).
Psychiatric causes: Associated with eating disorders such as bulimia or anorexia.
Genetic causes: There appears to be a genetic link that leads to lack of appetite in children whose parents had appetite problems as children.

It is clear that loss of appetite is a multifactorial and very complex problem, and the causes vary significantly from person to person.

Lack of appetite in children and adolescents

Loss of appetite in a child can occur during all periods of his growth (from childhood to adolescence), and is caused by factors that differ depending on age.

Causes lack of appetite in children, as a rule, are pathological and psychological in nature or are simply associated with a certain moment of growth.

Pathological causes: diseases, infections and influenza

Various diseases are common causes lack of appetite in children. Loss of appetite can be either a consequence of the disorder itself or a side effect of medications taken.

Loss of appetite may also be associated with physical changes that occur during childhood and adolescence.

Let's see what factors influence appetite depending on age groups:

Babies and children: In infants, infants and children under one year old, lack of appetite can be associated with two main factors: teething and weaning.
- Teething begins around the 5th month of life and lasts until 9-11 months, then to be fully formed around the 2nd year of life. During this period, the child often experiences loss of appetite.
- Weaning carried out, as a rule, in the sixth month. At this point, the child may lose his appetite, as the child must get used to the change in taste. In addition, during the weaning period, there is a slowdown in growth rates, which is associated with physiological changes in the gastrointestinal tract, which must get used to the new food, and this can cause a lack of appetite.
Children aged 18 to 24 months: from the 18th month and 2 years of life, a number of physiological changes occur in the child’s body, leading to a decrease in appetite. This happens because until 2 years of age the growth rate is very high, and after 24 months the rate slows down, and at the same time the need for food decreases.
From 3 to 5 years: During this period, loss of appetite may occur due to simple "tantrums" when introducing new foods into the child's diet or changing certain habits, such as starting kindergarten or having a younger brother.
Youth: Hormonal changes that occur during adolescence often cause loss of appetite during this period. This special period should be kept under control because loss of appetite occurs very suddenly and becomes chronic, leading to the emergence of eating disorders such as anorexia, especially among female adolescents.

Psychological reasons: social and family

Lack of appetite in a child or teenager may be a symptom of difficulties of a psychological or social nature.

Among the most common causes related to the psyche we have:

School: Starting to attend kindergarten and then school is an alarming situation for children and adolescents, which often leads to loss of appetite and a feeling of heaviness in the stomach.
Friends: in addition to studying, the child is forced to reckon with his peers. Relationships with peers are not always idyllic, groups may form from which the child remains excluded, or bullying may occur among adolescents. All this causes severe psychological discomfort, which is also manifested by loss of appetite or interest in food.
Family: Parents who constantly quarrel, disharmony in the family or the appearance of a younger brother are emotional stresses for the child, who may react by losing appetite. Refusal to eat in this case is intended to attract the attention of loved ones to oneself.

Non-pathological reasons - change of season and vaccinations

Loss of appetite in children can be caused by reasons that are not necessarily pathological or psychological in nature.

For example:

Season change: The transition from the cold season to spring and then to summer may cause children to lose their appetite. In spring, loss of appetite is associated with a change in the length of daylight hours, and in summer, mainly with a decrease in hunger due to the heat.
Vaccines: In the first years of life, children are given quite a few vaccines against various diseases. All of these vaccines have minor side effects that occur after administration, one of which is loss of appetite.

Lack of appetite in adults

Phenomenon lack of appetite in adults a little more complicated because it can be related to many factors that sometimes act in synergy with each other.

In adults there may be reasons external, that is, the influence of the environment in which a person lives and works, or internal, which are divided into natural, pathological and organic. For this reason, a correct determination of the cause of lack of appetite can only be made based on the prevailing symptoms.

So, let's look at the most common reasons that lead to lack of appetite in adults.

Psychological causes: stress, anxiety and depression

Psychological lack of appetite is related to individual problems of the person or relationships with others and the environment.

Various psychological factors determine lack of appetite, including:

Love: during the period of falling in love, we are “fed” by the love we feel for our partner: all other pleasures fade into the background! Also, sadness and pain that stem from love are one of the most common reasons for lack of appetite.
Anxiety and stress: Anxiety and stress often cause lack of appetite. Also, excessive fatigue, especially after a stressful or tiring day, represents a real stress on the body, which may require rest to such an extent that we do not even feel the urge to hunger.
Depression: Those with depression may also suffer from loss of appetite. A depressed state often manifests itself as indifference to all surrounding objects, including food. If left untreated, loss of appetite due to depression can develop into anorexia.
Eating disorders: One of the causes of loss of appetite is anorexia - an eating disorder that causes a decrease in appetite until it completely disappears. In this case, the lack of appetite becomes chronic and can lead to death.
Environment: The work or family environment can lead to loss of appetite if not tailored to the individual's needs and expectations. Excessive tension can develop into physical discomfort, which is manifested by a lack of hunger.

Pathological causes

Most diseases, from the mildest to the most severe, cause a lack of appetite. The connection between lack of appetite and disease is due to the state of stress and loss of strength in which the patient’s body is.

Among the diseases in which there is a lack of appetite, we have:

Intestinal and stomach disorders: abdominal pain, abdominal cramps, frequent diarrhea or, conversely, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, slow digestion, often accompanied by nausea and lack of appetite. Even those who suffer from gastroesophageal reflux, peptic ulcers, gastritis, heartburn and nausea often have a lack of appetite.
Thyroid problems: Those who suffer from hypothyroidism rarely feel hungry, as this pathology leads to a slower metabolism, which can lead to a decrease in appetite.
Infections: any type of infection (in the oral cavity, genitourinary system, teeth) causes a general state of malaise, which can also be characterized by a lack of appetite. Infections in the mouth, such as mononucleosis or colds with sore throat, or dental infections due to tooth decay, cause loss of appetite.
Oncology: All tumors (organ and blood), such as leukemia or lymphoma, represent a great stress, both physical and psychological. Loss of appetite may be a consequence of these conditions, as well as the medical care provided.
Kidney or liver failure: Those who suffer from kidney or liver diseases have loss of appetite due to the fact that these organs are unable to clear the blood of metabolic waste products that accumulate in the blood and cause general malaise.

Non-pathological causes of loss of appetite

There are many non-pathological causes of lack of appetite; they are associated with various factors, such as:

Vaccines: As in the case of children, vaccinations in adulthood have as a side effect a short-term loss of appetite, which disappears within a few days.
Pregnancy: During the onset of pregnancy, especially in the first trimester, there may be a lack of appetite due to the nausea and vomiting that characterizes the onset of pregnancy.
Season change: the arrival of spring and summer, lengthening daylight hours and rising temperatures significantly affect our body, which is manifested by symptoms such as lack of appetite, fatigue and drowsiness.
Sleep disorders: Those who suffer from insomnia may suffer from a lack of appetite, especially in the morning, because insomnia impairs the body's regulation of the body's sleep-wake rhythm.
Eating habits: Poor eating habits, such as skipping breakfast because you're not hungry in the morning or skipping lunch because you don't have time, can cause a lack of appetite.
Drugs and treatments: Some medications such as antibiotics may cause loss of appetite. Lack of appetite during chemotherapy and radiation therapy is common.
Postoperative period: After surgery, a condition characterized by a lack of appetite is often observed. This is especially common in people who have undergone surgery on the gastrointestinal tract or after tonsil removal.

Lack of appetite in older people

Loss of appetite in old age is a very common phenomenon. Lack of appetite in older people, in fact, is associated with age, which leads to a slowdown in basal metabolism, a decrease in energy requirements due to low physical activity and, accordingly, a decrease in hunger.

Decreased appetite in older people may be due to:

Digestive problems: With age, there may be a decrease in the efficiency of digestive processes caused by a decrease in metabolic activity and a high incidence of constipation.
The beginning of numerous diseases: Kidney failure, liver failure, tumors and infections often occur with age.
Dental problems: Dental alignment in older people often causes problems with chewing and lack of appetite, and recurring dental infections are also a problem.
Senile depression: loneliness, illness, lack of autonomy, makes older people susceptible to depression, which can manifest as decreased appetite and a general state of apathy.

How to stimulate appetite

As for adults, the first step is to identify the reasons that caused the lack of appetite and then apply appropriate treatment.

The situation is different for children and older people, whose loss of appetite is often an age-related disease. For this reason, instead of treatment, it may be more appropriate to follow some tips to cope with lack of appetite.

How to restore appetite in children

The first natural reaction of parents to a child’s loss of appetite is to force them to eat, which only aggravates the problem.

How to react to the situation, and what to do to cope with a child’s lack of appetite?

Let's look at some useful tips:

Do not force your child to eat, because by doing so you may associate eating with a negative image.
Always make sure there are no pathologies.
Make sure your child eats at the same time and eats adequate portions (not too big, but not too small).
If the lack of appetite is associated with a fever, provide cool (but not cold) drinks and foods.
Use visual stimulation: Pretty food, bright colors, and presented in an exciting way can pique your child's curiosity and appetite.

As you can see, in older people, loss of appetite is closely related to age and a health problem. Therefore, to avoid malnutrition on the part of an elderly person, it is necessary to follow some recommendations.

Here are some of them:

Make a diet, which will satisfy all the needs of an elderly person and which includes products that stimulate intestinal motility (constipation is one of the most common problems in old age). The products used should be easily digestible even by those who have problems chewing food.
Make it so elderly man eating in company, carry on a conversation while eating. It is useful to invite someone you know, an elderly person.
Prepare delicious foods, both in appearance and taste, perhaps with the addition of spices, since older people have a weakened sense of taste.

The diet of older people should contain all the nutrients necessary for the body's needs, should be low in fat and rely mainly on the consumption of lean meat and fish (at least 3 times a week).

A good appetite means good health and well-being. and food taken on time is a source of minerals, vitamins, a producer of energy for the growth of the body and ensures vital functions.

When your appetite is good, you don’t think about it. Emerging problems with appetite or lack of it, apathy, can be a signal of imbalance, imbalance in the body, and sometimes the development of serious diseases and complications. For some, excess weight is a problem, for others, thinness is a problem. Therefore, it is also important for them to normalize weight, restore appetite and stabilize the process of food digestion.

Decreased appetite, causes

Overwork causes a decrease in appetite.

Decreased appetite may be caused by the following reasons:

bacterial and viral infections. When all the body’s forces are aimed at fighting the source of the disease;
inflammatory processes of the gastrointestinal tract, such as duodenum, liver. When eating is associated with stomach pain, diarrhea, belching, discomfort;
stressful situations, nervous outbursts of emotions, overstrain and overwork;
depression, despondency, depressed state when the desire to eat disappears;
the desire to lose weight, excessive enthusiasm for various diets can lead to anorexia.

Loss of appetite in older people

Food should be tasty and healthy.

Loss of appetite in adults for a while is a passing phenomenon and you should not focus on it.

It’s another matter if there is a persistent loss of appetite and lack of need to eat food. When aversion to food, reluctance to eat exceeds the instinct of life.

Older people often live alone and lose the pleasure of living. Financial problems force pensioners to limit their food intake or eat cheap, low-quality products. With age, problems appear with the deterioration of taste buds, weakened intestinal function, low acidity, and the inability to properly digest food.

All these reasons affect the loss of appetite. To properly perceive food and relieve problems of low appetite, the following rules must be observed:

Food must contain all the vitamins and microelements necessary for old age, since the need for them increases with age.
Increase the amount of easily digestible dishes such as porridge, stewed vegetables, steamed lean meats. Avoid fried and fatty ingredients.
It is better to eat in small portions and more often, as there is poor digestion and absorption of food.
If necessary, use food choppers (blenders).

To cope with the problem of decreased appetite, it is necessary to identify the causes of this phenomenon.

If you eat irregularly, the risk of metabolic disorders and metabolic disorders increases.

This video will tell you what food increases your appetite:

Appetite boosters for children

A variety of dishes will help increase your appetite.

Adults often worry about poor appetite in children. To eliminate these points you need to:

make the correct one according to age;
regular walks, outdoor games, acceptable physical activity;
beautiful design of children's dishes;
adding fresh fruits to porridge, muesli and other dishes;
use beautiful plates with pictures. To see the bottom, you have to eat everything on the plate;
eating at certain times of the day, following a diet;
the child does not need to be force-fed, as it develops an aversion to food, or even worse, a vomiting reflex;
do not feed heavily when the child is sick;
stop snacking between meals with cookies, buns, etc.;
do not feed the child in a bad mood or when he is naughty;
diversify the range of dishes;
Do not add large portions.

How to increase appetite in an adult

Small meals will increase the appetite of an adult.

Various life situations cause strong feelings and negative thoughts, negatively affect appetite and the state of the body as a whole.

Eating every day at certain hours promotes the production of saliva and prepares the body for eating;
use beautiful table settings and varied presentation of dishes;
do not snack between meals, eat dry and on the go;
diversify the number of dishes, balance the consumption of proteins;
use fractional nutrition in small portions;
get enough sleep, sleep at least 8 hours, alternate hours of work with rest, do not overwork;
physical activity. With regular exercise, metabolism in the body proceeds faster, and thereby stimulates the urge to replenish energy reserves;
be able to switch or avoid stressful and conflict situations, negative emotions;
eat foods that stimulate the production of digestive juice, salted and pickled canned foods;
use hot seasonings and spices to increase appetite;
include bitter and sour berries of rowan, cranberry, barberry, blackberry in the diet;
increase foods high in vitamin C;
take infusions and decoctions of herbs that stimulate appetite and have a bitter taste. These are mint, calendula, dandelion root.

Drink the juice of half a lemon in a glass of water half an hour before meals. If appetite disturbances are persistent, and the above recommendations are ineffective, it is necessary to consult a doctor, undergo an examination, and find out the true causes of loss of appetite. Thanks to selected treatment methods, you can normalize the body’s condition and ensure a healthy lifestyle.

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A healthy appetite is a sure sign of a properly functioning body. What to do if you have no appetite?

The main rule is not to ignore the “alarm bell” from your own body.

We need to understand the reasons and, of course, try to eliminate them as quickly as possible.

Let's talk about what may lie behind the reluctance to eat and what to do if there is no appetite.

Contents [Show]

Appetite: causes of disturbance and ways to solve problems
What to do if your pet refuses to eat

Human appetite, reasons for its disturbance and ways to solve problems

Appetite in the general sense of the word is identified with the feeling of hunger: one of the basic reactions of the body, inherent in any living organism.

To live, you need to eat - and how and when to do this, the brain (or rather, its part called the hypothalamus) signals us with the help of a feeling of hunger.

The word appetite can also describe the eating habits of an individual person.

“He has a great appetite!” - the touching of grandmothers by the way their grandchildren wrap up homemade cutlets with mashed potatoes - this is just right here.

And finally, appetite can manifest itself as a particular desire to eat something special, following signals from the brain about the need for certain substances.

Find out what loss of appetite may indicate

Thus, appetite covers and satisfies three purposes of our nutrition:

Getting energy
Getting vitamins and minerals
Having fun

All of the above points are equally important for a healthy body.

The first and second are the key to physical well-being, but for the harmony of the mental state one cannot do without the third.

Decreased or loss of appetite (hypo- and anorexia, respectively) is a serious problem that can occur in a person of any age.

It is not always a cause for concern, but it is always a reason to “slow down,” listen to yourself and understand why the body decided that it doesn’t really need food.

Loss of appetite as an independent problem

Hypo- and anorexia are not always a sign of some kind of disorder in the body.

As a rule, this can be easily understood by the absence of accompanying symptoms.

Wrong lifestyle and bad habits will sooner or later make themselves felt

If all you experience is loss of appetite, the cause is most likely due to one of the following:

Unhealthy Lifestyle. Bad habits affect the normal functioning of internal organs and lead to a decrease and sometimes loss of appetite. A sedentary lifestyle also reduces our need for food, since virtually no energy is wasted. The solution is simple and complex at the same time - go in for sports, give up bad habits, and your appetite will normalize on its own.
Weather. Weather-sensitive people may experience a decrease in appetite during problem periods, but those who do not suffer too much from weather changes usually need less food during the hot summer months. At this time, the body's main task is to maintain normal water balance - you need to drink more fluid, and your appetite will return when the heat subsides.
Reaction to taking medications. Some medications have side effects that include a noticeable decrease in appetite. Never take pills without a doctor's prescription and read the instructions carefully.
Excessive enthusiasm for diets. When dieting, people often ignore the feeling of hunger or abuse the body in other ways - and all this undermines the very mechanisms for regulating the feeling of hunger, and it can simply turn off. Be sure to consult with a nutritionist, select diets that suit you and do not follow them for too long.
Stress, strong emotions, or burnout can also cause temporary loss of appetite. Losing your appetite for a day due to anxiety is normal, but make sure that such incidents do not become a habit. Take care of your psychological comfort, and your brain will respond to you with gratitude - and a good appetite.

To avoid developing anorexia due to these factors, learn how your body normally works.

This will take some time and require some discipline, but the result is worth it: knowing your standards, you can easily identify deviations from them, and it will become easier to notice the reasons.

Loss of appetite can also be caused by decreased physical activity and poor lifestyle choices.

Tip: keep notes not only about your physical condition, but also a “mood diary”. With its help, you can easily observe the dynamics of your own psychological state, and if problems arise, you can establish when and why they started.

In addition, the reasons for lack of appetite may be completely natural.

If an elderly person has no appetite, there is no need to immediately wonder what to do.

If a person is generally healthy, and the reluctance to eat is not accompanied by other symptoms, most likely this is just a manifestation of age. The older we get, the less energy the body requires.

Many parents begin to panic if their child has no appetite.

What to do in such situations? I like Dr. Komarovsky's advice: don't force children to eat.

A healthy child, having walked around and spent energy, must beg for food himself, and only then is it worth feeding him.

This works well at 2 years of age and up. What to do if a younger child has no appetite and cannot yet clearly communicate to his parents about his needs?

Stick to the correct feeding schedule, make sure your baby is full during meals, and discourage snacking - even if it gives you an hour or two of peace.

Don't force your child to eat

If loss of appetite is the main problem that worries you, it will be easy to solve.

First, use the tips already given above for each individual case: give up bad habits, try to improve your lifestyle and deal with the emotional sphere.

Diet variety: Sometimes loss of appetite is caused by monotony of food.

Eat more appetite-stimulating foods

Treat yourself to delicacies or try to dine in good company - perhaps the food will also seem more attractive during an interesting conversation.

Eat more foods that stimulate your appetite.

These include:

Citrus
Sour apple varieties
Grenades
Cranberry
Raspberries
Blackberry
Garlic
Pickled cabbage
Radish
Cheremsha

There are plenty to choose from. You can also supplement your diet with vitamin-rich freshly squeezed juices and just vitamins - but first you should definitely read about the rules of use and daily requirements.

Secondly, you can resort to folk remedies.

You can restore the lost feeling of hunger with healthy herbal decoctions. The corresponding preparations can be found in pharmacies, or you can prepare them yourself.

In older people, lack of appetite is often age-related

I want to tell you about my favorite lemon balm tincture, which is especially good if you have lost your appetite due to stress: it will calm frayed nerves, restore the desire to snack, and delight you with the taste.

To prepare, take two teaspoons of lemon balm herb, brew half a liter of boiling water, cover with something and leave to steep for four hours.

Half an hour before your planned meal, drink half a glass, sweetening it with honey if desired - you will notice the result very soon.

Loss of appetite as a symptom

Loss of appetite can sometimes indicate more serious problems.

Typically, such cases are easily identified by the presence of accompanying symptoms: if anorexia is a symptom of a serious problem, it will not come alone.

Wild garlic is considered an excellent means of combating poor appetite (and at the same time a storehouse of the first spring vitamins).

Let's look at the most common diseases, among the manifestations of which is loss of appetite:

The first on the list will be the common cold - and at the same time all kinds of acute respiratory viral infections and other infectious diseases. If you or your child has a fever, sniffles, cough or other cold-and-flu symptoms, and no appetite, do not be tormented by the question “what to do”: go to the therapist or call your family doctor at home. Don't worry - a lack of appetite with such illnesses is completely normal. The body’s forces are aimed at getting rid of the cause of the disease, the immune system works at full capacity, and there are simply no resources left for digestion. Do not try to eat or force feed the patient - when the illness passes, the appetite will return on its own.
If the lack of desire to eat is accompanied by intense nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea, you are most likely poisoned. Intoxication, regardless of what caused it, is a very serious problem: do not wait until it “goes away on its own” and call an ambulance.
Diseases of the digestive system itself and the internal organs of the abdominal cavity can cause a complete loss of appetite. Abdominal pain is usually an accompanying symptom. Here it is also important not to neglect the problem and go to a gastroenterologist on time.
Interruptions in the functioning of the endocrine system. This requires attentiveness to yourself, since other symptoms can easily be attributed to stress, fatigue and many other factors. In order not to miss the onset of problems with the endocrine system, regularly undergo a medical examination and take blood tests - in particular, at least once a year for thyroid hormones.
Depression, problems in the nervous system, mental disorders. In this case, you need to look for emotional rather than physical symptoms. Constantly low mood, indifference to everything, or, conversely, periods of increased activity and euphoria, accompanied by loss of appetite, may be evidence of serious nervous disorders. Don’t be afraid to go to a specialized specialist for advice.
And finally, the most unpleasant option is oncology, which can be suspected if you have no appetite, feel sick (especially in the morning) and feel dizzy, and have chronic weakness. In this case, loss of appetite can be either general or related to individual foods that you used to eat with pleasure. What to do is obvious - immediately contact a specialist.

Advice: If you are unsure about one or more symptoms, visit your GP or consult your family doctor. He will help you figure it out and refer you to a specialized doctor.

Try a simple and delicious decoction of lemon balm and honey.

What to do if your pet refuses to eat

The people were dealt with; Now let's talk about those cases when you noted the disappearance of your pet's appetite.

It’s easy to understand that a cat or dog has no appetite: the bowl sits untouched all day, and the pet often also behaves unusually, demonstrating lethargy or unusual activity. What to do?

Of course, first of all, don’t worry.

Remember, an animal is like a small child; it cannot say what hurts or worries, but it perfectly senses the mood of its owners.

You won’t help him in any way with your worries, but you may well aggravate the problem. So - calm and only calm!

The only thing you can do at home if your cat or dog has no appetite is to make sure that you offer your pet suitable food.

If your pet stops looking at food with interest, take him to the veterinarian

Sometimes our four-legged friends realize long before us that some product is spoiled and refuse to eat it; This can also be a reaction to a new, unusual food or even a new taste.

For example, my cat ignored rabbit-flavored canned food for days on end, although she ate all other products from this manufacturer with a bang. Everything is individual.

If you have established that the reason for the lack of interest in food does not lie in the food itself, then there can only be one answer to the question “what to do”: urgently take your pet to the veterinarian!

Explain to him that the cat/dog has no appetite, tell him how long this has been going on and what you have already done.

After examining the animal, the doctor will determine the cause and prescribe appropriate treatment.

Animals are like little children

Advice: do not try to diagnose your pet yourself!

I would only like to wish that there is nothing serious behind the interruptions in appetite, and that the problems are solved quickly and effectively.

Be healthy!

life-reactor.com

Sudden and severe weight loss is no less alarming than weight gain. If a person loses more than 5% of his total body weight every week, this negatively affects his overall well-being and appearance. The reasons for losing weight are divided into 2 large groups: general and medical. A person can cope with common causes on his own or with the help of friends and relatives. As for the second group, it is impossible to do without the help of medical knowledge. Weight loss associated with diseases of organs and systems is the most life-threatening. Read about 10 diseases that cause weight loss on estet-portal.com.

Common reasons for losing weight

It cannot be said that sudden weight loss can be associated solely with the occurrence of pathological processes in the body. There are other reasons for losing weight. Stress and depression, mental tension, phobias and other problems can provoke weight loss. In addition, the worship of a thin body pushes modern girls to follow diets, exhaustion through physical activity, and all this, together with the fast pace of life, leads to severe weight loss.

So, the first group of reasons for weight loss:

eating disorder:
phobias;
diets and even hunger strikes;
transitional age;
hormonal imbalances;
addiction to drugs or alcohol;
increase in physical activity.

Weight can “jump” during sessions and exams, when moving to a new job, when moving to another country or city, or when falling in love. Sometimes, due to hormonal surges, weight can decrease, although most often the female body accumulates fat deposits and gains extra pounds.

10 diseases that cause weight loss

80% of cases of weight loss are due to medical reasons for weight loss associated with dysfunction of one organ or the entire body. Be careful and watch your weight. In case of a sharp decrease in body weight and deterioration of health, you should immediately consult with specialists and undergo a medical examination.

Oncology – cancer never sleeps

When the color of the skin or sclera of the eyes changes, weight loss, hair loss, and nails break - these are only a small part of the consequences of the first stages of a cancer tumor. The patient may not yet know that a life-threatening formation is growing in the body. And weight loss can significantly speed up the process of identifying pathology. Most often, the patient loses weight with the development of malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and pancreas. These diseases can be accompanied by severe weight loss from the first days of tumor onset. As for other types, weight loss may appear after the growth of metastases in the body.

General and first signs of a cancerous tumor:

failure to heal wounds and ulcers;
presence of seals;
disturbance of urination and stool;
hoarseness, cough;
weakness;
change in skin color.

Pulmonary tuberculosis

This disease manifests itself in a rich clinical picture, one of the first symptoms of which is weight loss. Tuberculosis is considered an intractable disease that can only be combated in the first stages. Other signs of tuberculosis include:

chesty and wet cough;
bouts of coughing with the release of blood and pus;
weakness, drowsiness, loss of strength;
heavy sweating;
chest pain, runny nose.

Tuberculosis cannot be treated independently; only a stay in a dispensary, under the supervision of doctors and long-term use of medications at the first latent stage can guarantee a cure. A person dies 2-3 years after lung damage from tuberculosis if treatment is refused.

Diabetes

Another reason for weight loss is diabetes. It is the first type of diabetes that provokes weight loss, the second type promotes obesity. Usually the patient constantly experiences increased appetite, and it is almost impossible to satisfy; hunger is always present. This is due to an imbalance of glucose in the blood. During the course of the disease, an increase in glucose and insulin deficiency is observed in the blood.

Other symptoms of type 1 diabetes:

dry mouth and thirst;
sweating;
irritability and weakness;
the presence of constant hunger;
vision problems;
frequent urination.

Thyrotoxicosis

This disease is a pathology of the thyroid gland. Intoxication with thyroid hormones occurs in the body when the thyroid gland secretes these hormones. Also called hyperthyroidism. Weight loss in this disease is associated with an increase in metabolic rate. The patient constantly overeats and loses weight.

Symptoms of hyperthyroidism:

intolerance to stuffiness;
cardiopalmus;
tremor;
diarrhea;
thirst;
irregular menstruation in women and decreased libido in men;
attention disorder.

Anorexia nervosa

Anorexia is characterized by a pathological fear of obesity and disordered eating (intentional) associated with a person's maximum weight loss. This disease overlaps with bulimia and gluttony. Teenagers and girls under 25 years of age are most susceptible to this disorder, although problems can also occur in men. For patients, it seems normal to refuse food in order to lose weight. This leads to severe exhaustion of the body, and if this disease is not stopped, it can be fatal.

Symptoms of uneven anorexia:

fear of gaining weight;
sleep disturbance;
the patient’s denial of their fear of excess weight and the presence of a problem in general;
depression;
feelings of resentment and anger;
changing perceptions of family and social life;
dramatic changes in behavior.

Adrenal insufficiency (hypocortisolism syndrome, Addison's disease)

With this disease, the process of production of hormones by the adrenal cortex is disrupted. Types of adrenal insufficiency: chronic and acute, primary and secondary. The disease manifests itself:

muscle weakness;
increasing fatigue;
darkening of the skin (to bronze color);
decreased blood pressure;
craving for salty foods;
loss of appetite;
abdominal pain.

Alzheimer's disease

Also called senile dementia. The disease is a loss of neural connections in the brain. It usually affects older people over 65 years of age. Although Alzheimer's disease can develop at an early age, after 40 years, if there is a genetic predisposition. Manifested by loss of partial memory and disorientation. Most often, recent events in life are lost from memory, followed by loss of long-term memory. A person becomes lost in the area, ceases to recognize faces, feels emotions, loses acquired knowledge, and the speech and hearing systems are impaired. The patient may forget to eat, relieve himself, fall asleep or wake up. As a result, significant body weight is lost; a person cannot exist without additional help from relatives or close people.

Lymphoma (Hodgkin's disease)

This oncological disease is a “proliferation” of lymphoid tissue that contains giant Reed-Berezovsky-Sternberg cells. At the first stage, the disease is manifested by enlarged lymph nodes. Usually the cervical and axillary nodes become inflamed.

Associated symptoms:

loss of appetite;
enlargement (inflammation) and reduction of lymph nodes;
increased sweating at night;
temperature increase.

Ulcerative colitis

This disease is chronic and is an inflammation of the colon mucosa. Mainly manifested by the following intestinal symptoms:

pain in the abdominal area (cutting, aching, radiating to the left side);
diarrhea;
bloating;
decreased appetite;
fever;
disruption of the kidneys and heart.

Intestinal obstruction

The disorder is caused by a narrowing of the lumen of the large intestine and is a late stage of cancer. The lumen of the large intestine narrows due to the growth of a cancerous tumor, which blocks the passage of feces and intestinal juices.

Manifested by the following symptoms:

retention of stool and gases;
abdominal pain on the left side;
vomit;
asymmetrical bloating (from the large intestine).

The above diseases are accompanied by weight loss and severe weight loss against a background of poor health. Any reasons for losing weight should alert a person. If any violations are detected, you should immediately seek help from specialists. Only timely treatment can serve as a speedy relief from other consequences of severe exhaustion of the body.

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Many people these days notice that they have no appetite at all. What to do in such a situation? Before taking any action, it is necessary to find out what is the reason for the absolute lack of hunger.

Why did my appetite disappear?

Loss of appetite is not always associated with some serious illness. Nowadays, doctors identify several of the most common causes of this condition:

1. Overeating. No matter how much is written and said about the benefits of a balanced diet, only a few people monitor the number of calories. In addition, many people are accustomed to eating everything on their plate, even if they no longer feel like it. And others are accustomed to constant snacking “in between times.” All this leads to the fact that when the time comes for the next meal, the body simply does not need additional calories, and the feeling of hunger does not wake up.

2. Poor quality food. This is another reason why there is no appetite. What to do in this case? Firstly, give up fast food, sandwiches, chips and other unhealthy “goodies”. Abuse of sweet, fatty and dry foods leads to the fact that the secretion of the digestive glands is disrupted, a phenomenon called reflux occurs (food is thrown back into the higher sections of the gastrointestinal tract), and fermentation and putrefaction processes begin in the intestines. As a result, permanent background discomfort arises, due to which a person physically cannot experience the feeling of hunger.

3. Overwork and stress. Physical and emotional fatigue, worries, feelings of depression - all this completely discourages the craving for food. Therefore, be sure to ensure that the loads in your daily routine are reasonably alternated with rest, both active and passive.

4. Diseases of the digestive system. Peptic ulcers, gastritis, cholecystitis, enterocolitis and other gastrointestinal diseases lead to digestive disorders, which also lead to loss of appetite.

5. Pregnancy. In the first trimester, women often do not feel hungry due to toxicosis. And in the last months, a very common situation is when the uterus squeezes the stomach, reducing its volume. As a result, even after eating a small amount of food, a feeling of fullness occurs, which creates the illusion of a lack of appetite.

As for serious diseases, then, of course, the absence of hunger can be a symptom of one of them. However, as a rule, severe illnesses bring with them a whole “bouquet” of unpleasant symptoms (general weakness, rapid causeless weight loss, and others). Therefore, you should not worry ahead of time, it is better to analyze again all other reasons and think about what is the reason for your indifferent attitude towards food.

So, you realized that you have no appetite lately. What to do? Official and traditional medicine offer several recommendations for those who want to regain their normal appetite.

First, review your diet. Your diet should be complete so that your body receives all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals it needs. It is best to eat home-cooked, steamed or boiled food. Your menu must include fruits, vegetables, juices and dairy products. It is important to avoid snacking and not overeating. It’s not for nothing that doctors so insistently advise eating in small portions, but often (5-6 times a day).

There is one more trick that will help you overcome your lack of appetite. "What to do?" - you ask? Everything is extremely simple. There is even a special concept in cooking - “aperitif”. In simple terms, it is an appetizer that is eaten before main courses to improve appetite. A salad of fresh vegetables, a few spoons of spicy snacks or a slice of lemon are ideal as an aperitif.

Don't underestimate spices as your helpers. They not only improve the aroma and taste of dishes, but are also very healthy. Many of them help the digestive system digest food better, cleanse blood vessels and blood, break down bad cholesterol, and saturate the body with vitamins. For example, horseradish improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and helps in the treatment of kidney and liver diseases, and bay leaf strengthens the immune system. Literally every spice we know has its own beneficial properties that you can use for yourself.

Don't panic if you lose your appetite. You already partially know what to do in such situations. But, in addition to all of the above, the problem may lie in abnormal blood sugar levels and a lack of certain vitamins (in particular, vitamin C). Therefore, it will be useful to start drinking ascorbic acid. A tablet of this remedy must be taken 30-40 minutes before. before the meal.

Some people seeking to increase food cravings resort to pharmaceutical bitters. They are sold over the counter and act as irritants to the stomach receptors, thereby increasing appetite.

There are also folk recipes that will help you if you have no appetite. What to do and how to take them? Here are the main tools that help cope with the problem in most cases:

Pour a teaspoon of crushed wormwood into a glass of boiling water. The infusion must be kept for half an hour before use, and then drink a tablespoon of the medicine before meals (3 rubles/day).

We buy crushed dandelion roots. Pour two teaspoons of raw material into a glass of cold water and leave for 8 hours. The product is taken four times a day, a quarter glass.

It is necessary to squeeze the juice out of four carrots and a bunch of watercress, dilute the resulting liquid with clean water in a 1:1 ratio. Take before meals.

When should you see a doctor?

If, in addition to the lack of a natural feeling of hunger, you observe other alarming symptoms (pain, weakness, nausea, weight loss), you should not waste time trying to cope with the problem at home. It is better to undergo an examination as quickly as possible and find out why the body malfunctioned, and then undergo the appropriate course of treatment.

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Doctors understand a decrease in appetite as a partial or complete refusal to eat. This happens for various reasons, including serious illnesses and, in the absence of qualified assistance, leads to serious consequences.

Table of contents: General information Causes of decreased appetite Associated symptoms Diagnosis What to do if appetite is lost - How to improve appetite for an adult - Traditional medicine to improve appetite

General information

It is necessary to distinguish between the concepts of hunger and appetite. Hunger is a reflex that occurs if the body does not receive food at a certain time. The mechanism of its development is as follows: the level of glucose in the blood decreases, after which a signal is sent to the hunger centers. At this moment, a person may feel increased salivation, a heightened sense of smell, and a tugging sensation in the pit of the stomach. This area is a projection of the stomach, therefore it always makes a person aware of the feeling of hunger.

note! When hunger occurs, a person does not have the desire to eat only certain foods. He eats everything.

Appetite is a special manifestation of the feeling of hunger, in which individual favorite foods are selected. It is influenced by the time of day, emotional state, nationality of a person, religion, and finally.

Decreased appetite refers to a state when a person does not want anything.. There is a concept of a change in appetite when the usual taste needs are disrupted. Doctors also diagnose a complete lack of appetite, leading to anorexia.

Causes of decreased appetite

A decrease in appetite is usually preceded by:

Intoxication of the body due to inflammation or poisoning. Due to the fact that at such moments he spends all his energy on removing toxins, digestion of food fades into the background.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, which are accompanied by pain and discomfort.
Malfunctions of the endocrine system organs due to diabetes mellitus, hormonal imbalance.
Oncology (stomach, colon or blood cancer).
Autoimmune diseases (scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis).
Depression, neuroses, neuropsychic disorders.
Side effects after taking painkillers - morphine, ephedrine.
Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia.
Pregnancy.
Excess fatty foods in the diet.
Metabolic disorders due to poor nutrition.
Adaptation of the body during physical activity to which it is subjected for the first time.
Low mobility and sedentary work.
Individual lactose intolerance, celiac disease.
Bad habits – smoking, alcohol, drugs.

Important! Quite harmless habits can also cause a dulling of appetite, namely: abuse of chocolate, coffee, and powerful energy drinks.

It should be noted that there are diseases in which a person also loses the desire to eat.

This is about:

Bronze disease, or Addison's disease, is an endocrine disease associated with adrenal dysfunction.
Still-Chauffer disease is juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
Typhoid fever.
Dementia.
Gastroesophageal reflux - when the contents of the stomach are thrown back into the esophagus.
Stomach and duodenal ulcers.
Schizoaffective disorder.

Associated symptoms

There is an opinion that a good appetite is a sign of health. Due to the fact that during the day the feeling of hunger and appetite replace each other, a person saturates his body, while remaining at the same weight. This is a kind of balance that ensures normal functioning.

If this balance is disrupted for psychological or other reasons, appetite may disappear. Sometimes the feeling of hunger disappears along with it.

Note! Lack of desire to eat for several hours is not a reason for frustration. This happens when, during a previous meal, a person eats a dish that is too high in calories. In other words, at such moments the body is provided with energy for a longer period of time.

The absence of hunger for 5 – 8 hours makes you think. By the time they expire, the blood glucose level will probably decrease, and the person will feel a loss of strength and weakness.

After satiation, the stomach full of food will stretch, the glucose concentration will increase and a signal will be sent to the brain to stop saturation.

It is interesting that scientists have established: a person subconsciously chooses those products that his body needs at a given time. Athletes prefer to eat salty foods after training to replenish salt loss due to sweat.

Diagnostics

If your appetite decreases, you should consult a doctor. He will prescribe a full examination of the body, including:
clinical blood test, analysis of sugar levels, hormones to exclude diabetes mellitus, hormonal imbalance, liver disease;
urine test to rule out kidney inflammation;
chest x-ray to detect pneumonia, lung cancer;
HIV test;
Ultrasound of the gastrointestinal tract;

pregnancy test.

What to do if you lose your appetite If diseases that could cause loss of appetite are identified, therapy is prescribed to eliminate them. At the same time, doctors recommend adjusting the schedule and portions of food intake.

In other words, they advise eating 5 to 6 small meals a day. The last meal should be 4 hours before bedtime. You should spend about 30 minutes per meal, chewing the pieces slowly. Snacks should be avoided. Sweets should be replaced with fruits, sauces and marinades with spices, as they stimulate the appetite. For some patients, doctors prescribe vitamin B and zinc, which enhance the sense of smell.

Note! It is also important to maintain a drinking regime, especially when playing sports.

Nausea during this period is relieved with Promethazine and other similar drugs. To improve the functioning of the thyroid gland, hormone substitutes are prescribed. Dementia is treated with high-calorie nutritional mixtures, inflammation with antibiotics.

Appetite is a mechanism aimed at regulating the food entering the body. It usually occurs against the background of hunger and intensifies when we see or smell food. So, in a person who has developed his own diet, by a certain hour digestive juices begin to secrete - they prepare the digestive tract for work.

The feeling of hunger is a consequence of a physiological decrease in blood glucose levels - the centers of the brain are irritated, thereby stimulating a person to search for food. Hunger provokes a strong appetite. However, sometimes appetite can manifest itself as a response to the attractive appearance of a dish (and its aroma) or arise selectively as a reaction to a certain type of food - the one from which a person receives maximum pleasure (even if he is not hungry). Such behavior may be a sign of an external type of eating disorder (a person eats unconsciously - external stimuli become a trigger for eating. - Note ed.).

There are quite a few reasons why your appetite may disappear. For example, if we get sick with a viral infection and our temperature rises, the body will have to spend strength and energy not on digesting food (after all, a rather energy-intensive process), but on fighting the infection. This is why a person often loses his appetite during the first days of illness - he may only want to drink and not want to eat at all. In addition, appetite may disappear due to various chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, endocrine and nervous systems, cancer, chronic infections, brain diseases and various mental problems.

As a rule, with age, appetite decreases - the number of taste buds and receptors that respond to smells decreases, appetite weakens and older people often begin to eat less, while receiving less pleasure from food.

Moreover, if a person is experiencing severe stress, his appetite may also disappear: all thoughts are aimed at solving some problem and the brain works hard to solve it - one focus of excitation in the brain temporarily blocks all other centers of excitation. Often in such a situation, a person basically forgets about his own physiological needs, for example, the need to eat or sleep.

If a person is healthy and has already developed a certain diet, he may simply not experience a strong appetite - he does not allow long intervals between meals and the feeling of hunger does not have time to fully develop. In this case, the saying " appetite comes with eating" fits perfectly. When it’s time for lunch or dinner, it’s enough for a person to see food or smell it for an appetite to appear (even if there was none before). Therefore, the main thing is to follow the regime and not skip meals. If, in principle, there is never any appetite, perhaps the reason is hidden in psychological and mental problems (for example, in) or in any other chronic disease.

If you don’t have an appetite, you can first try to get it back - beautiful table setting, delicious dishes, a walk and physical activity in the fresh air before eating will only contribute to this. Plus, analyze your nutrition during the day: perhaps you are interrupting your appetite with too frequent or too high-calorie snacks and sugary drinks (this is also food). Perhaps you basically do not have any regime and you eat chaotically. In general, try to establish a regimen, and if this does not help, contact a therapist - he will prescribe the necessary examinations. Treatment will depend on what disease or condition the doctor suspects upon presentation. Yes, there is therapy that helps restore appetite, but most often it is carried out purposefully if a person is very exhausted. Usually this is a complex therapy aimed at increasing appetite, correcting the body’s nutrition, and solving psychological (or any other) problems that caused the development of anorexia.

Reducing your appetite is very easy! Find out what foods, herbs and medications will help you with this. And get 8 effective techniques to combat bouts of evening eating.

Eating habits are the basic factor on which the slim figure of a healthy person depends. What are eating habits? This is what a person eats, how often he eats, and also how much food he feels full of. It is important to take into account psychological attachments. For example, if in a stressful situation a person reaches for sweets, this will most likely provoke the appearance of extra pounds over time.

The “lever” for controlling eating behavior is appetite. Moderate appetite is an indicator of health. And an unbridled appetite most often pushes a person into breakdowns, which entail painful reproaches of conscience for eating in excess of the norm.

Psychology of overeating

How to reduce your appetite in the evening

If you are familiar with the problem of increased hunger in the evening, then use these recommendations:

Eat right. Be sure to have breakfast (the morning meal should be the largest) and lunch. For dinner it is better to eat something protein: 250 g of boiled chicken fillet and two cucumbers, 200 g of shrimp and 200 g of baked vegetables (for example, zucchini + tomatoes), 250 g of cottage cheese (5-9% fat) and 1 grapefruit.
If after dinner you still feel drawn to the refrigerator, drink green tea with lemon.
Switch to some activity: get a manicure, sort through files on your computer, read a book.
Take a walk outside.
Give yourself a “royal” bath: use aromatic oils, salts, foam, herbs. This will also relieve stress after a hard day.
Try meditating.
Do 30 squats and 30 reps of the abdominal exercise.
Try on things that you would like to fit into: this will perfectly curb your appetite and motivate you to continue your struggle to stay slim.